The blade, the cutting or thrusting part of a dagger, generally features double grinds with substantial thickness in the spine to support the blade's attachment to the handle. The blade's sub-parts include the tip, edge and heel. There is also the bolster, which is a thick metal junction between the blade and the handle. Long serving the role of a secondary defense weapon in close combat, a dagger's blade relatively resembles a smaller version of a sword, which also led to the ornamentations usually appearing on a dagger's blade.
The handle or grip is where one holds the dagger. Since a dagger is used in many countries for centuries, the material and design used for the handle widely varies by era and culture. Usually, a dagger has a central axis line in its blade carefully attached to a symmetrical handle. It is typically made of horn, bone, ivory or exotic woods, etched or sculpted with different shapes and texts and ornamented by gemstones. The handle design often features fine finger grooves and depressions for better grip and control.
The tang is the projection on the dagger's blade to firmly hold it's fastened part to the dagger's handle. The tang may be a full tang, half tang, push tang, stub tang, encapsulated tang or hidden tang, depending on the more specific design and use of the dagger. In many cases, the tang extends from the handle through the center line of the blade. A tang may be straight, which is easier to construct, or curved, which creates a more natural handle shape.
The pommel is the rounded knob found on the end of the dagger's handle. It is located right at the bottom extension below the dagger's grip. The pommel is hand-ground and fitted, balanced and detailed to match the simple or intricate look of the dagger's handle and blade. Many pommels also have decorative millings fitting the design of the dagger's sheaths or stands. The pommel completes the strength and security of the handle. Some designs attach or screw a fastener onto the pommel for more flexibility of handling and storage.